For all that Genesee County has to offer in terms of services, there still are times where residents have to make the trek to Buffalo or Rochester; however, for many older adults in Genesee County who need to get to those cities for mandatory medical care, there can be challenges in making the same excursion.

The Genesee County Office for the Aging is seeking volunteer drivers with a clean record to take older adults to medical appointments outside the county.

“The individuals may have given up their driver’s license, or they may have a medical condition that doesn’t allow them to drive, or it may just be that they do it three seasons a year but in the wintertime they’re not comfortable making that trip,” Dorian Ely, an aging services specialist with the department, said.

Ely says there’s a great need for these driver volunteers and the need is increasing. They’re looking for volunteers who “…will understand that this person they’re giving the ride to may be a little bit nervous about their appointment, they may have received some unexpected news at their medical appointment; so they need to be cognizant of that and a little bit sensitive to it,” Ely said.

There are other benefits besides just a chauffuer, Ely says.

“It makes for a less stressful trip for the individual to be sitting in the car chatting with someone as they drive back and forth so naturally they get to be buddies over time I’ve noticed,” Ely said.